Interview: Justin Daerr

As I am slowly coming back to ‘real life’ after my lovely extended weekend getaway, I leave you with an interesting interview.

Remember a while back when I had the opportunity to review a few EAS products? Well Tristan from  EAS was kind enough to include healthy ashley in the blogs that would get to interview two of their accomplished athletes: Justin Daerr and Jen Perez.

A little about Justin: Justin Daerr, of Boulder, CO has been participating in triathlons since 2000 and has participated in 10 Ironman races in his short career. In his most recent Ironman, Justin placed 11th with a time of 8:40:10 in Ironman Arizona, November 2008. Justin is still learning how to deal with training in the harsh, cold winters compared to the warm winters of Southern Texas where he grew up.

This guy sounds tough so I was so excited to try to find out more about his training and his sport. Here’s what went down:

Interview: Justin Daerr

ASHLEY: Why do you tri?

JUSTIN: I love the challenge of trying to balance the three sports of swimming, cycling, and running. It always keeps things interesting.

ASHLEY: Your personal motto is “Trust Your Fitness.” Can you explain this?

JUSTIN: You have to believe in the strengths you know you have worked hard to achieve. If you know you are giving it your all, you need to trust that the fitness you have will come through for you (in relation to performance).

ASHLEY: Other than cycling, running and swimming, do you incorporate any other exercises into your routine?

JUSTIN: I regularly lift weights and do core/balance work at home. I also snowboard, snowshoe and hike in the winter.

ASHLEY: What do you look for in a post-workout snack? Do you have a favorite?

JUSTIN: In triathlon, our post workout snacks often serve as the pre-workout snack of our next session. The timing of proper of nutrition is critical if you want to be recovered before the next workout. I frequently use Myoplex Shakes from EAS within 30 minutes of finishing a key session for this reason.

ASHLEY: Do you have a favorite EAS product?

JUSTIN: I have two: Muscle Armor and Athlete’s Defense. Triathletes are constantly challenged by a compromised immune system from extensive training. With Athlete’s Defense, I can avoid any potential illnesses that could put setbacks in my training.

ASHLEY: My family doesn’t completely understand why I run half marathons. How does your family respond to your intense training and goals?

JUSTIN: They are my biggest supporters, so I guess they respond pretty well. In the beginning, they were a bit in the dark about triathlon, but now they do their research on my competitors and follow the sport closely.

ASHLEY: When I run, I believe 90% of what I overcome is mental. How do you overcome your mind when you are training or racing?

JUSTIN: I try to focus entirely on the task at hand. I don’t focus on the pain of the movement. Instead, I focus on the proper execution of that movement. When I run fast, all I think about is running fast.

ASHLEY: What would you say to someone who is considering tackling their first triathlon?

JUSTIN: Keep it fun so that you will want to do it again.

 

I loved doing this interview because Justin is one of the people who has ‘made it’, so he’s got to be doing something right! Thanks Justin and Tristan from EAS!